Snowed In and Losing It!

I've been home from school for two days, and although I enjoy the chance to sleep in on occasion, I think I'm goin' outta my mind with all the snow. Enough already! I've shoveled the white stuff until I feel like I'm becoming the Hunchback of Notre Dame! But I'm burning calories, baby! Oh yeah! Now if I can just stay away from all that junk food that awaits me on the counter. The local meterologists are saying that we have broken records for the most snow in the month of February as of yesterday--21.8 inches. But I feel like I've shoveled several feet of snow. Yes, I AM whining....

I must say I feel sorry for those of you who got slammed on the East Coast....now that's some MAJOR snow you folks have been experiencing. Many folks are experiencing the lack of electricity during this scarey time. Brrrrrr.

But Sadie, my 8-month old black Lab, is just loving all the snow. She leaps through the mounds of snow like a deer in a meadow. She pauses long enough to stick her nose in it, as if she can sniff out prior dogs 'doo doo' 6+ inches below the surface, and she may very well be able to do so. She's bored out of her mind...thus the 20 trips outside she's demanded. I think I've walked miles in the last few days in just our walks around the block. But she has entertained me throughout this ordeal because she sees this time as a time to hang out with me and she has me around her little finger...or should I say paw. I follow her 'bidding' whenever she whines or barks to go outside. She looks at the heaping mounds as opportunities for adventure--an escape from the humdrum surroundings of our home. Sigmund, our 9-year old male cat, sees Sadie as a constant source of aggravation. For when she isn't sleeping or hanging out with me, Sadie is harassing him by chasing him around the house or up and down our staircase. It's as if my husband and I have a pair of 2-year olds fighting and taunting one another. But it's entertaining for the most part. Uh oh...gotta go, she's pulled the checkbook off the table and is proceeding to chew away. This is not going to be pretty. Sigh....

The Sadie Saga

Sadly, we had to put down our 9 1/2 year old chocolate Lab, Buster, on May 31. We didn't think we could ever endure losing another family pet, so my husband and I made up our minds to not own another dog. But on July 10, my husband persuaded me to go check out a Labrador breeder in Ansonia, Ohio, about 2 hours from our house. There were two groups of Labs to choose from--5-week old pups and 7-week old pups. And once we saw that little black female with the sad face sitting in the back of the cage,it was love at first sight! It took several days to find a name that suited her. She was fiesty (and still is!) and very nosey about everything that's going on around her. The name Sadie suited her perfectly!

At 9 weeks old, we took her on our first camping trip in our popup camper to Rocky Fork Lake near Hillsboro, Ohio. We caught her jumping into our camp chairs to enjoy the campfire. She enjoyed the woods and all the attention the children at the campground gave her. On August 1, we went on a camping trip for a week to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. What a beautiful state for camping and sightseeing! The Great Lakes and all the Michigan State Parks and State Forest campgrounds we visited provided great adventures for vacationers. Sadie enjoyed all of the new sights and sounds everywhere we traveled. I've included some of our favorite photos from our summer with Sadie. Our trip took us from Hoeft State Park on the east side of Michigan by the shore of Lake Huron to the city of Munising located on the southern shore of Lake Superior. The parks were clean, accessible to the Lakes, and very pet friendly. What more can you ask for?!

God is faithful to His people.

Another year has come and gone--and even more importantly, we stand on the precipice of a new decade! Wow! When I think about the events of this last decade, I realize just how much God has watched over my family. From the 9/11 tragedy to the economic crises we've endured the last year or so, we've come to live with a sense of dread and fear. Sometimes our footing on this planet seems unsure and at times our sense of 'balance' is less than perfect. This last decade has seen all of the above. But the one 'constant' in this everchanging world, is the mercy and faithfulness of the Lord Jesus. I certainly don't claim to be a Super Saint, and I've found myself on many occasions afraid of what lies ahead. But God assures us that "...He will never leave us nor forsake us even to the end of the world." His love is a sure thing in a world that is less than lovable and trustworthy. When all else fails, God's grace is dependable, and His mercy is everlasting. So when your life is like a rollercoaster, and your hope feels all but lost, turn your eyes towards the heavens. He is there with outstretched arms waiting for you to call on Him. Just whisper His name....